Device and method for grouping and combining articles into multiple packages with different package sizes

ABSTRACT

A device (1) for grouping and combining articles (5) into packages with different package sizes is disclosed. The device comprises a dividing unit (3), by which groups (6a, 6b, 6c) can be formed from moving articles (5). Further, it consists of a cutting station (18) for cutting to length flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) from a supply roll, a workstation (40) for applying the cut-to-length flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) onto the groups (6a, 6b, 6c) of articles, and a shrinking tunnel (50), in order to produce the packages. The dividing unit (3) and the cutting station (18) are operatively connected to one another by a control unit (S), which has information relating to a layer to be produced from the packages.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

The present application claims priority to International Application PCT/EP2016/081285, filed on Dec. 15, 2016, which claims priority to German Application DE 10 2016 200 540.5, filed on Jan. 18, 2016, which are incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a device and a method for grouping and combining articles into multiple packages with different package sizes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the production of packages, articles and/or beverage containers are guided in several parallel rows in the direction of a divider, which accelerates leading articles and/or beverage containers with respect to articles and/or beverage containers trailing behind, thereby creating a respective combination of articles and/or beverage containers for a package. The compilations are then moved in the direction of a wrapping module, which applies thermoplastic packaging material to the respective combination. Subsequently, the compilations with their respective thermoplastic packaging material are fed into a shrinking tunnel, in which the thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto the respective combination and the respective articles and/or beverage containers are combined to a respective package via the thermoplastic packaging material. After leaving the shrinking tunnel, the packages can be brought into a certain orientation, from which a palletizable layer is subsequently formed.

Experience has shown that the space available on a pallet for such a layer is not always optimally used such that free spaces remain after the respective layer has been placed on a pallet. Such problems are particularly present when the respective layer is to comprise several packages with a different number of articles and/or packages with different article sizes. If this is the case, processes separated in time are required to produce the different packages respectively.

It would therefore be desirable to have possibilities which simplify the production of layers with packages of different sizes. In addition, devices and/or processes would be desirable that are characterized by a higher flexibility compared to processes and/or devices known from the state of the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A task of the invention can therefore be seen as providing a generic device and a generic process by which layers of articles and/or packages of different sizes can be easily formed. In addition, the process and the device should be characterized by a high degree of flexibility in the creation of such layers.

The above task is solved by a device and a method which comprise the characteristics in the independent claims. Additional advantageous arrangements are described by the dependent claims.

The invention concerns a device for grouping and combining articles into several packages with different package sizes. The articles can be designed in preferred embodiments as beverage containers. In particular, it is conceivable that the articles are formed by filled beverage containers and preferably by filled PET bottles.

The device comprises a dividing unit by which groups can be formed from moving articles. For this purpose, the dividing unit can distance leading articles and articles intended for a particular group from articles that are lagging behind. In particular, the dividing unit may comprise several or a large number of circumferential dividing bars and/or dividing fingers, wherein a respective dividing bar or dividing finger comes into contact during its circumferential movement with articles intended for a respective group and spaces the articles intended for the respective group from subsequent or leading articles intended for another group. The dividing bars and/or dividing fingers can be guided underneath a transport level designed for the articles, surface above the transport level and then make contact or surface contact with a respective article arranged at the front in a respective group. The dividing unit can comprise at least one conveyor belt, by which at least one conveyor belt the articles or the groups formed from the articles are moved. If necessary, the at least one conveyor belt can form the aforementioned transport level, below which the dividing bars and/or dividing fingers are guided. A conveyor speed of the conveyor belt can be higher than the speed of movement of the dividing bars and/or dividing fingers.

In conceivable embodiments, the articles may be fed to the dividing unit in several parallel rows. For example, at least one horizontal conveyor can be arranged in front of the dividing unit, on which horizontal conveyor articles stand and are guided into the parallel rows by several aisle plates aligned parallel to each other. Such embodiments have proven particularly effective if groups formed by the dividing unit are to comprise several articles that are placed next to one another in one direction of movement of the respective group. In other embodiments, it is also conceivable that the articles are fed to the dividing unit in only one row and/or as a single row article stream.

The device also includes a cutting station for cutting to length flat thermoplastic packaging material from a supply of material. For example, the supply of material can be arranged on a supply roll and unwound for cutting to length from the supply roll. The device can thus comprise a holding mandrel, on which the supply roll rests. The supply roll and the cutting station can be interposed with at least one guide roller, on which the flat thermoplastic packaging material rests when moving in the direction of the cutting station. In particular, several guide rollers may be provided, which divert the thermoplastic packaging material and guide it towards a workstation described below. Furthermore, an open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit can be provided, which is connected to the holding mandrel. The workstation described below can also be linked to the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit. In conceivable embodiments, the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit can automatically and/or independently adjust over time a rotation frequency of the holding mandrel for unwinding thermoplastic packaging material, taking into account a respective actual demand of the workstation still described below. It is therefore conceivable that the device comprises a holding mandrel on which a supply roll carrying the thermoplastic packaging material can be arranged, wherein a rotation frequency of the holding mandrel can be independently controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, taking into account a respective demand for thermoplastic packaging material.

It is also possible that the supply roll and/or holding mandrel and the cutting station are interposed with a storage unit and/or dancer in a running direction of the flat thermoplastic packaging material, which can receive and release thermoplastic packaging material as required.

The device also includes a workstation for applying the cut flat thermoplastic packaging material to the groups of articles. For example, several wrapping bars can be provided for this purpose, which emerge from below a conveyor level and/or transport level formed for the articles and place the thermoplastic packaging material around the groups of articles. The workstation may comprise at least one conveyor belt, on which the groups stand during the application of the thermoplastic packaging material and/or by which at least one conveyor belt the groups are moved during the application of the thermoplastic packaging material.

In addition, a shrinking tunnel is provided, to which the groups can be fed together with their respective applied and cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material to produce the packages. The groups can be fed through the shrinking tunnel together with their respective applied and cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material and in the process have heat energy be applied. As a result of the application of heat energy, the thermoplastic packaging material applied to the respective group and cut to length can be shrunk onto the respective group. In this way, a respective package can be generated from the respective group.

According to the invention, the dividing unit and the cutting station are connected to an open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, which contains information on a layer to be produced from packages. The dividing unit can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, taking into account the information for forming groups with different sizes and/or different numbers of articles in a specific sequence. Furthermore, the cutting station can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit for cutting to length the flat thermoplastic packaging material with a dimensioning adapted to the size and/or number of articles of the respective group according to the determined sequence.

As mentioned earlier, the workstation may include at least one conveyor belt, on which the groups stand during the application of the thermoplastic packaging material and/or by which at least one conveyor belt the groups are moved during the application of the thermoplastic packaging material. It is conceivable that a transport speed and/or conveyor speed of the at least one conveyor belt for groups can be controlled in real time via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, taking into account a respective size of the respective groups, which are moved for the application of the thermoplastic packaging material by the at least one conveyor belt. It is also possible that a speed of the previously mentioned wrapping bars, which are designed as part of the workstation, can be controlled in real time via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, taking into account the respective size of the respective groups passing through the workstation to have the thermoplastic packaging material applied.

It is also possible that a speed of movement of the cut thermoplastic packaging material in the direction of the workstation is adapted and/or controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, taking into account a respective dimensioning of the cut-to-length blanks. In this case, blanks formed from the cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material with larger dimensions than blanks formed from the cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material with smaller dimensions may be guided in the direction of the workstation at a higher speed of movement.

In conceivable embodiments, the device may have at least one optical detection unit connected to the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, by which a position of an imprint applied to the thermoplastic packaging material can be detected, wherein the cutting station is controllable via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit for the defined cutting to length of the flat thermoplastic packaging material, taking into account the position of the imprint detected via the at least one optical detection unit. This guarantees a desired appearance of the flat thermoplastic packaging material shrunk onto the respective composition of articles, even with different package sizes. In preferred embodiments, the optical detection unit can be designed as a camera system.

In addition, the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit may be provided with details on the volume of the articles intended for the respective layer, whereby the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit is designed to independently generate the information, taking into account the details on the volume of the articles. For this purpose, an intelligent logic can be stored on the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit, by which the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit independently generates the information from the data on the volume of the articles and/or packages intended for the respective layer. This ensures that the available area and/or space for a palletizable layer is used optimally and/or that a palletizable layer can be formed from the largest possible number of articles and/or packages.

In addition, embodiments in which the cutting station comprises at least one mechanical and/or optical separating instrument for cutting the flat thermoplastic packaging material to length have proven effective. The mechanical separating instrument may have a movable blade for cutting the flat thermoplastic packaging material to length. If the cutting station has an optical separating instrument, the optical separating instrument may be designed as a laser beam cutting machine.

The device may also comprise a provision for the thermoplastic packaging material representing the supply of material, wherein a storage unit for thermoplastic packaging material, preferably in the form of a dancer, is interposed between the provision and the cutting station.

The invention also concerns a method for grouping and combining articles into packages of different package sizes. Features mentioned above for various embodiments of the device can also be provided in various embodiments of the inventive method and are therefore not mentioned redundantly. In addition, the following features, which relate to various embodiments of the inventive method, may be provided for the device described earlier. It is conceivable that the device is designed to implement the embodiments of the inventive method described below.

As part of the process, individual groups are formed from several articles moving in a row. In addition, flat thermoplastic packaging material is applied to the groups. Subsequently, the flat thermoplastic packaging material is subjected to heat energy, from which packages are formed by shrinking the flat thermoplastic packaging material onto the groups.

The inventive method also provides that, taking into account a predetermined composition and distribution of a layer to be produced from the packages, several groups of different sizes are formed in a specific sequence and that blanks of flat thermoplastic packaging material with a dimensioning adapted to the size of the respective group in accordance with the specific sequence are produced and made available for application to the respective group.

Furthermore, it is possible that the several groups with different sizes are formed by several groups which have a different number of articles.

Embodiments have proven effective in which a position of an imprint applied to the thermoplastic packaging material is taken into account when producing the blanks. The position of the imprint applied to the thermoplastic packaging material can be sensory detected and/or determined in preferred embodiments. In particular, the respective position of the imprint applied to the thermoplastic packaging material can be detected and/or determined by an optical sensor system and preferably a camera system.

Furthermore, the blanks of the flat thermoplastic packaging material may be formed by separating a supply of material using an optical and/or mechanical cutting instrument. It is possible that the blanks of the flat thermoplastic packaging material are formed by cutting a supply of material by a laser beam and/or a cutting blade.

It is also conceivable that the flat thermoplastic packaging material is unwound from a supply roll and that flat thermoplastic packaging material which has been unwound from the supply roll and is still connected to the supply roll is received by a storage unit for flat thermoplastic packaging material, preferably in the form of a dancer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following, embodiments will explain the invention and its advantages in more detail using the attached figures. The proportions of the individual elements in the figures to each other do not always correspond to the real proportions since some shapes are simplified and others are enlarged in relation to other elements for better illustration.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of an inventive device;

FIG. 2 shows individual steps of a conceivable embodiment of an inventive method in a flow chart.

Identical reference signs are used for identical or identically acting elements of the invention. The embodiment described is merely an example of how the invention can be designed and does not represent a final limitation. It should also be noted that the features described for FIGS. 1 and 2 below are not to be understood in isolation for the embodiment but may be used in a general context.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of an inventive device 1. The device 1 is intended for grouping and combining articles 5 into several packages of different sizes. To this end, the device 1 comprises a dividing unit 3, by which groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c can be formed from moving articles 5.

For this purpose, the dividing unit 3 has a horizontal conveyor 7, on which the articles 5 stand to form a respective group 6 a, 6 b, 6 c. In addition, several circumferential dividing fingers 4 can be identified, which emerge from below a conveying plane provided by the horizontal conveyor 7 and subsequently come into contact with at least one article 5 that is moving first of a respective group 6 a, 6 b, 6 c to be formed from the articles 5. A movement speed of the dividing fingers 4 is lower than a transport speed of the horizontal conveyor 7 so that articles 5 are selectively decelerated via the dividing fingers 4 with respect to a transport speed of the horizontal conveyor 7 to form from the articles 5 the groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c as seen in FIG. 1.

Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a cutting station 18 for cutting to length flat thermoplastic packaging material 20 from a supply of material. The flat thermoplastic packaging material 20 is provided by a supply roll 30 and/or unwound from a supply roll 30. For cutting to length the flat thermoplastic packaging material 20, the cutting station 18 can, for example, include a mechanical and/or optical cutting instrument.

An intermediate storage unit 22 and/or dancer 24 is arranged between the cutting station 18 and the supply roll 30 in the running direction of the flat thermoplastic packaging material 20, via which thermoplastic packaging material 20 can be received and released with a quantity per time unit adapted to a particular requirement. The intermediate storage unit 22 and/or dancer 24 has several rollers, which guide the flat thermoplastic packaging material 20 and can be moved relative to each other to increase or decrease an amount of thermoplastic packaging material 20 received via the intermediate storage unit 22 and/or dancer 24. In order to supply the intermediate storage unit 22 and/or dancer 24 with sufficient thermoplastic packaging material 20 and/or to ensure that a supply of thermoplastic packaging material 20 received by the intermediate storage unit and/or dancer 24 is not exhausted, a holding mandrel as seen in FIG. 1, on which the supply roll 30 rests, is connected to the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S. A rotation frequency of the holding mandrel is adjusted and/or controlled by the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S in such a way that the holding mandrel unwinds thermoplastic packaging material 20 from the supply roll 30 to meet supplies for the intermediate storage unit 22 and/or dancer 24 as required.

In addition, the device 1 comprises a workstation 40 for applying the flat thermoplastic packaging material 20, which was cut to length via the cutting station 18, to the groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c of articles 5. The workstation 40 has several circumferential wrapping bars, which position the cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material 20 on the groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c. A speed of the wrapping bars and a conveying speed of a conveyor belt designed as part of the workstation 40 and intended to move groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c during the application of the cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material 20 continues to be automatically adjusted by an open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S, taking into account a respective size of groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c.

Furthermore, a shrinking tunnel 50 is part of the device 1. The shrinking tunnel 50 comprises a tunnel housing, into which the groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c can enter together with their respective applied and cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material 20 to produce the packages. The tunnel housing can be seen proportionately in FIG. 1. In the shrinking tunnel 50, the groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c and the respective cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material 20 applied to the groups are supplied with heat energy.

The dividing unit 3 and the cutting station 18 are operatively connected to one another via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S. The open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S has information on a layer to be produced from the packages and intended for a pallet. The dividing unit 3 can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S, taking into account the information for forming groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c with different sizes in a specific sequence. In FIG. 1, the groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c have a different size due to a different number of articles 5 and/or beverage containers.

Furthermore, the cutting station 18 can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit S for cutting to length the flat thermoplastic packaging material 20 with a dimensioning adapted to the size of the respective group 6 a, 6 b and/or 6 c according to the determined sequence. For example, for the group 6 a with a larger volume than the group 6 c, a higher amount of thermoplastic packaging material 20 is cut to length from the material stock provided via the supply roll 30.

The groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, which have different sizes, enter the previously mentioned shrinking tunnel 50 after application of the respective thermoplastic packaging material with adapted dimensioning, wherein the respective thermoplastic packaging material is shrunk onto the groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c. The groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 b leave the shrinking tunnel 50 after shrinking of the thermoplastic packaging material and are fed to a distribution unit downstream of the shrinking tunnel 50 in the flow direction of the packages and not shown in FIG. 1, which generates an orientation for a palletizable layer from the packages. The palletizable layer is then placed on an assigned pallet by a palletizer also not represented in the figures of this patent application.

FIG. 2 shows in the flow chart individual steps of a conceivable embodiment of an inventive method. Individual groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c (see FIG. 1) are thus formed from several articles 5, taking into account a composition and distribution of a layer to be produced from packages of different sizes and in a specific order.

In addition, blanks of flat thermoplastic packaging material 20 with dimensions adapted to the size of the respective group 6 a, 6 b and/or 6 c are produced and supplied in accordance with the determined sequence. The blanks can be supplied via a transport plane formed to move the groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c and/or aligned above a transport plane formed to move the groups 6 a, 6 b and 6 c.

A further step is to apply the blanks of flat thermoplastic packaging material 20 with their dimensions adapted to the size of the respective group 6 a, 6 b and/or 6 c to the respective group 6 a, 6 b and/or 6 c. They can be applied using the workstation 40 schematically depicted and described in FIG. 1.

In addition, the blanks of flat thermoplastic packaging material 20, whose dimensions are adapted to the size of the respective group 6 a, 6 b, 6 c and which are applied to the respective group 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, are supplied with heat energy, from which the blanks are shrunk onto the groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c and packages are produced from the groups 6 a, 6 b, 6 c and the blanks.

The invention was described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it is conceivable for an expert that variations or modifications of the invention can be made without leaving the scope of protection of the claims below.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   -   1 Device     -   3 Dividing unit     -   4 Dividing finger     -   5 Article     -   6 a Group     -   6 b Group     -   6 c Group     -   7 Horizontal conveyor     -   18 Cutting station     -   20 Flat thermoplastic packaging material     -   22 Intermediate storage unit     -   24 Dancer     -   30 Supply roll     -   40 Workstation     -   50 Shrinking tunnel     -   S Open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit 

1. A device (1) for grouping and combining articles (5) into multiple packages with different package sizes, comprising a dividing unit (3), by which groups of articles (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) can be formed from moving articles (5), a cutting station (18) for cutting to length flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) from a supply roll (30) of packaging material (20), a workstation (40) for applying the cut-to-length flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) onto the groups of articles (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) of articles (5), and a shrinking tunnel (50), to which the groups of articles (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) can be fed together with their respective applied and cut-to-length thermoplastic packaging material (20) in order to produce the packages, and an open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S) operatively connects the dividing unit (3) and the cutting station (18) to one another, which has information relating to a layer to be produced from the packages, wherein: a) the dividing unit (3) can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S) taking into account the information for forming the groups of articles (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) with different sizes in a specific sequence and b) wherein the cutting station (18) can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S) in order to cut to length the flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) in the specific sequence with dimensions matching the size of the respective group of articles (6 a, 6 b, 6 c).
 2. The device of claim 1 comprising at least one optical detection unit connected to the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S), by which a position of an imprint applied to the thermoplastic packaging material (20) is visible, wherein the cutting station (18) can be controlled via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S) for the defined cutting to length of the flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) taking into account the position of the imprint detected via the at least one optical detection means.
 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the volumes of the articles (5) intended for the respective layer is provided to the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S) wherein the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S).
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the cutting station (18) comprises at least one mechanical and/or optical separating instrument for cutting to length the flat thermoplastic packaging material (20).
 5. The device of claim 4 comprising at least one holding mandrel on which the supply roll (30) of packaging material (20) can be arranged, wherein a rotation frequency of the holding mandrel is independently adjustable via the open-loop and/or closed-loop control unit (S).
 6. The device of claim 5 comprising a storage unit (22) for the packaging material (20) is located between the the holding mandrel and the cutting station (18).
 7. A method for grouping and combining articles (5) into packages of different package sizes, the method comprising: forming individual groups (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) from several articles (5) moving one behind the other, applying flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) to the groups (6 a, 6 b, 6 c), applying heat energy to the flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) from which packages are formed by shrinking flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) onto the groups (6 a, 6 b, 6 c), characterized in that, wherein the individual groups are formed so as to create a layer to be created from the packages, a) by forming groups (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) of different sizes and in a specific sequence, and b) by producing blanks of flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) with dimensions adapted to the size of a particular group (6 a, 6 b, 6 c) in accordance with the specific sequence and are provided for application to the particular group (6 a, 6 b, 6 c).
 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising forming a plurality of groups (6 a, 6 b, 6 c), each with a different numbers of articles (5).
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising detecting a position of an imprint applied to the flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) producing the blanks.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the producing step comprises forming the blanks by separating a supply of material by an optical and/or mechanical cutting instrument.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising, when the flat thermoplastic packaging material (20) is unwound from the supply roll (30) and is still connected to the supply roll (30), storing such flat thermoplastic material (20) in a storage unit (22). 